WELLINGTON NOTES.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 6019, 28 March 1885, Page 8

WELLINGTON NOTES.

(BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORR-ST ONDENT.) Wellington, this day. Defence of Colonial Porta. Notwithstanding the decline of Consols and other gloomy forebodings surrounding the Mother Country, Government have received no intimation from the AgentGoneral aa to the near approach of war clouds. In official circles hero it is thought the mobilising of tr-0?s on the Afghan frontier, tbe readiness of the fleet to proceed to the Baltic, and the activity in Briti.h arsenals and dock-yards, aro -imply a demonstration by way of exposing the British fangs to Russia. It is, however, satisfactory to learn that in the event of complications between England and Russia, all possible means are being taken by the Defence Minister to put the port, of the colony in a stato of defence stt far as our resources will allow. The land required for tho purpose of defence works will be taken by Government under the Public Works Act, and tho guns already available will bo immediately mounted. Preparations are in the meantime being mado for the reception of the war material ordered from England in connection with Major Cautley's defence scheme. This material is to be manufactured under the immediate supervision of the War Department expressly for the colony, and as the manufacturers of such material will be pretty busy just now, it is hardly expected that the order can arrive in the! colony for at leaßt twelve months. The; Government will be guided to a very great extent by His Excellency tho Governor in all matters relating to tho defences of the colony, recognising in Sir William Jervois an eminent engineering authority. It is understood that His Excellency has signified his willingness to afford Government all assistance in his power. Volunteers and Native Contingents. One of the first things which His Excellency will be askod to advise in will be the selection of an experienced officer to command the Volunteer force of the colony. The Minister of Defence, beside looking to the Armed Constabulary (which on account of superior physique, discipline, and efficiency must always take the premier place as a defence force of tho colony), the Volunteers, and militia, is not unmindtul of the assistance which could bo obtained from Maori sources, and it is probable that several native contingents similar to those which did so much good service in the East and West Coast wars will bo raised, and put into active drill. Tlie "Native Difficulty" In Taranaki, Since I am writing upon native matters, I may as well relate en amusing in cident which has just, come to my ears through tho medium of the Native Office. It will be remembered that recently the A.C. camp at Parihaka, the hotbed of fanaticism and disaffection on the West Coast, was broken up, and the men removed to Opunake. This had scarcely been done when a rumour reached tho Native Office to the effect that the settlers on Waimate Plains in the neighbourhood of Parihaka were alarmed at the defiant attitude of the Parihaka natives. The Taranaki newspapers wero not slow to soizo upon these rumours, which had spread in that direction also, and animadverted upon the mistaken policy of withdrawing the constables so prematurely. The Native Minister caused inquiries to be made immediately, and was informed by his emissaries that the natives were friendly, quiet, and courteous all along the coast. He was further informed that the people who were making the most noise about the removal of the Constabulary were two contracting butchers to the camp. These men wore moving about among the settlers on the plains, and plying them well with stories of the "bounceable" attitude of the Parihaka natives, succeeded in creating quite a little panic amongst the settlers. Mr BalHtnce's Policy. The Native Minister, before removing the constabulary, assured himself of the wisdom of tho step. Ho had obtained the confidence of the wholo of the natives on the West Coast, and the friendly assurances of their leaders Te Whiti and Titokowaru; indeed, it is only paying a fair tribute to the policy of Mr Ballance to say that ho has obtained tho entire confidence of the natives from end to end of the North Island, and stands higher in their estimamation than any proceding Native Minister. As a strategic point tho camp at Parihaka was of no use whatever, whilst it was a constant source of irritation to the natives. Now tho Native Minister has removed the irritation without doing any harm, evon in the event of an outbreak, for tho camp at Opunake is the strategical point of the coast. Here the men who were useless at Parihaka are concentrated and usefully employed in making roads through Crown lands. Tho Native Minister, with considerable tact, has thus removed a cause of much soreness with tho Parihaka natives, has shown them that ho trusts them, and is possessed of their confidence, but in the remote possibility of betrayal of trust has command of the position from Opunake. The MUitary Settlement Scheme. At tho same time Mr Ballance is hurrying on the work of military settlement in the Taranaki district, believing that witb the land settled all danger'now co remote as hardly to bo worth consideration) would be past; and yesterday instructions were given to survej five thousand acres of Crown lands at tho base of Mount Egmont for military settlement purposes in connection with the military settlement scheme of whioh I informed you some daja ago. I then mentioned the probability of the scheme being extended to embrace the civil police, and Mr Ballance informs me this has been decided upon, and he will shortly cause to be laid off in different parts ot tho colony blocks of 2,000 or 3,000 acres each for men over 45 years of age who have been not less than 10 years in tbe police force. The semi-military blocks will bo disposed of on a liberal deferred payment systom; the latter may be taken upon a perpetual lease system.